Improvement in car-couplings



L. M. FOX. Gar-Coupling.

No. 220,206. Patented Sept. 30,1879.

gig??? gaz fln l ATTORN EY N PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON. Dc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI M. FOX, OF ALBION, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 220,206, datedSeptember 30, 1879 application filed March 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI M. Fox, of Albion, in the county of Marshalland State of Iowa, have invented a new and valuable Improvement inOar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and op- -=eration ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ofthis specification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a top view of myimproved coupling. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a frontview of the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the invention is to devise a coupling for railroadfreight-cars that can be operated with facility to couple or uncouplefrom either side of the car, or from its roof, by hand, or be set toaotautomatically, thus renderin g it unnecessary to pass between the carsto effect these purposes, and which may be used in connection with theordinary pin-andlink coupler, if desired.

The nature of the invention will be fully set forth hereinafter.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates an ordinary box-car,mounted in the usual way on transporting-wheels, and having secured toits ends the draw-bar B. This is provided with the usual buffer-spring,and is supported at its front end by a stirrup. This draw-bar has formedin its front a flaring chamber, a, and is provided on its top and frontwith a backwardly'curved hook or horn, b. In rear of this horn is atransverse re-enforce or rib, 0, through which a bolt, 0?, extends, theends of which pass through eyes on the ends of a strong U-shaped bail,B, and are permanently secured thereto. The bolt 01 rotates freely onits hearings in the said re-enforce, and the bail is sufficiently largeto vibrate past the end of the draw-bar and be engaged over a hook of asimilar draw-bar.

.In the front of the hook, and extending completely through thedraw-bars vertically, is a perforation, e, that allows the usualpinand-link coupling to be used in case of accident to my improvedcoupling.

0 indicates a horizontal rock-shaft, arranged in suitable bearings a onthe end of the car, and provided at each end with a clutch-lever, I).These take hold upon the said shaft when they are thrust upward, butreadily swing into the position shown in Fig. 2 when they are released.These are usually of the following description: They have each a sleeveupon their ends, through which the ends of the rockshaft readily pass,and the said sleeves are slotted, as shown at s. A bolt, .r, is thenpassed through this slot into the shaft.

D indicates metallic lifters, one end of which is rigidly secured to therock-shaft and the other looped loosely aroundthe side bar of the bail.These lifters are two in number, one be ing at each side of the drawbar,and they are sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the bail. Whenthe lever at either side of the car is thrown up, the rock-shaft isrotated, the lifters vibrated upward, and the bail raised to any desiredheight, so that it may be dropped over the hook of the adjoiningcoupler, or back against a tripper above the draw-bar.

The tripper F is a bridge-like. device secured to the end of the car,and possessed of a slight springiness preferably. When the cars cometogether the shock, acting on the tripper, causes it to throw the bailover the hook of the adjoining coupler.

To uncouple a car from another, the cars being jammed close up together,throw the clutch-lever up.

f indicates a finger or arm, rigidly secured at one end to therock-shaft', and flexibly con- 'nected at the other to a rod, 9.extending upward through a guide, h, above the top of the car, its upperend being provided with a cross or other handle. By drawing up upon thisrod the rock-shaft is rotated and the results above set fortheffectually reproduced.

The guide h is of bracket form usually, and the draw-rod extends throughits forked upper end between two pins, 19 1), one in front and the otherin rear of the said rod.

0 represents a gravitating dog, suspended by means of a pin in the forkof the guide, and having upon its upper end a nose, n.

It being desired to out a standing train, raise rod 9 until the bail islifted sufficiently to clear the hook of the adjacent draw-bar,

and introduce with the foot the nose of the dog into a notch, r, of thesaid rod.

If it be desired to prevent casual or malioious uncoupling of the cars,push the rod 9 down and introduce a pin through the bar under the pinsof the bracket.

When not in use the bail hangs vertically from its bolt.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the draw-bar B, having a recurved hook, b, uponits top, and a vibrating bail, B, of a horizontal rock-shaft, G, the endclutch-levers, b, and the liftingrods D, secured to said shaft andlooped loosely around the side arms of the bail, substantially asspecified.

2. The combination, with the draw-bar B, having a hook, b, and vibratingbail B, the rock-shaft G, and lifting-fingers D,of a crankarm, f, onsaid shaft, a vertical draw-rod, g,

the guide h, and a gravitating dog, 0', adapted to be engaged with saidrod, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a draw-bar having a link-chamber and pinholes, andprovided with a hook and vibrating bail, a rock-shaft havinglifting-fingers engaging-the bail, clutchlevers on the end of the shaft,a tripper on the end of the car, a draw-rod connected to an arm of saidshaft, a guide, and a gravitatiug dog suspended therefrom and adapted toengage the said rod, all arranged and operating substantially asspecified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

LEVI MEAD FOX.

Witnesses:

CLAY MEAD WHEELER, WILBER SETH TOZIER.

